Japan seals largest-ever defense contract with frigate sale to Australia
The Japan Times • • general
Key Points:
- Japan and Australia have signed a landmark defense agreement for Japan to supply the first three of 11 upgraded Mogami-class frigates to the Australian Navy, marking Japan's largest postwar defense export contract.
- The multibillion-dollar deal was signed in Melbourne by Japan's Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Australia's Defense Minister Richard Marles, highlighting deepening strategic and military cooperation between the two nations.
- The first frigates are expected to arrive in Australia by 2029, with the Mogami-class frigates becoming central to continuous naval shipbuilding in Western Australia in the early 2030s.
- The agreement signifies a significant expansion of Japan-Australia industrial and defense ties, reinforcing their quasi-allied relationship amid evolving regional security dynamics.
